VIII

      After dropping Hyeri to his friend's grandma house, Minwoo drove directly to work with a ball of anxiety at the pit of his stomach. He could not help it, despite Dongwan's affirmation everything was fine after his betrayal, he could not help worry.

Now his friend knew he was the one helping in the stealing of these data, it was even harder to face the man. As if the attorney would always look at him with suspicion and accusation in his eyes from now on. He had not thought about it before, but such thing would be even worse than losing his job or Dongwan's friendship.

Minwoo did not want to face everyday this guilt he could not get ride of. He did not need to be reminded of what he had done and even less by a man he trusted and liked.

      Greeting the secretary on his way to his office, he felt his palms sweat and his heartbeat quicken. He was anxious at the perspective to face his friend, and praying the man would not be there before him, he entered the room and shut the door behind him. It was quiet in the office, and listening for a tensed second to his surroundings, he sighed in relief when he concluded Dongwan was still to arrive.

Stepping to his desk, he sat on the comfortable chair and relaxed.

After yesterday's visit from the attorney, finding himself at work on this Wednesday morning at his workplace almost felt abnormal. As if what had happened and what he was doing at the right moment could not occur together. Minwoo could not acknowledge Dongwan had not fired him for such serious betrayal, but at the same time, it felt right his friend was being so considerate about him.

Friends were supposed to watch each other's back -which Minwoo had failed and hated himself for, and having the attorney there to back him up only increased this guilt he was feeling.

He knew if he had not obeyed to these people Hyeri could have been hurt, and he knew it was the right thing to do to protect her; but backstabbing the man who had done so much for him left an horrible taste in his mouth. Even if he had stolen these data for his baby girl's sake, and his actions were legitimate considering the situation at the time; he was still a betrayer. Which was something he could not deal well with.

Maybe he had too much scruples and ethic for his own good, but Minwoo knew he would never forgive himself before paying back this debt he had towards Dongwan. Not only the man had offered him the best opportunities in life with his current job, but he was always comprehensive and helpful when it was coming to Hyeri. Dongwan was caring for the little girl as if she was his, and Minwoo had always been grateful for that. Then, to top it all, he was now forgiving him for his wrong-doings and protecting him from what these people had forced him to do.

Minwoo could not understand how such friend could exist. He did not even have the slightest idea why he was deserving such wonderful friend. He was a sociable man by nature and was always surrounded by many people he called friends, but none of them were like Dongwan.

The attorney was maybe not the most gentle man on earth, nor the most open one ; and Dongwan was for sure not the one spending the most time with him out of work. But despite all this, he was the best friend Minwoo ever had. He was the one doing the most for him and his little girl since he had met him, and for that, he knew Dongwan was a trustworthy man he would do anything to pay back for his betrayal.

He was not sure how he would repay his friend, nor if he would ever have a chance to do so, but he promised himself he would put his all in paying back his debt from now on. Be it working day and nights on cases or run across the street to buy a coffee to the attorney. Minwoo would do anything to show his thankfulness to Dongwan.

      The day was coming to an end when said man called him in his office and offered him a seat. If at ease around his friend after his internal promise to repay him for his kindness, Minwoo was suddenly nervous when he sat in the attorney's office.

Sitting stiffly on the chair across Dongwan's desk, Minwoo was not sure where to look while waiting for the man to speak. The way his friend was staring at him did not help either and made him even more anxious than he already was. It was like he was seeing through his soul his most privates thoughts and feelings, which sent a shiver down his spine.

Unable to hold the attorney's gaze any longer, he looked away and stared at the painting hiding the safe. It was a rather melancholic and dark depicting of a landscape Minwoo did not recognize. He knew it must be from a famous artist, but he was too ignorant in such matter to identify them. The painting was beautiful, despite its dark aura, and the little touches of yellow scattered on it was enough to hide partially the real meaning of it.

Observing it for another moment, Minwoo realized for the first time such hints of color were nothing more than a masquerade to divert the person's attention from the darkness behind it. Narrowing his eyes at the painting, behind these yellow traces, Minwoo noticed a painful and unhealthy depiction of a landscape he was sure was splendid if not in the artist's eyes.

Suddenly, he felt uneasy and needed to shift on his seat as if to distract himself from the painting.

"He's named Amadeus." Dongwan's voice attracted his attention, and frowning in confusion, Minwoo tried hard to understand what his friend meant. "The artist." He added with a small grin, and Minwoo felt stupid for a second before looking down then back at the painting. "He's not well-known outside a certain private circle, but he's amazing talent."

"Hum, yeah." He confirmed, despite how uneasy the painting was making him feel.

"He's the ability to twist the world in front of him." Minwoo looked back at Dongwan having as conversation with him painting, which felt out of place when knowing how little knowledge he had about it.

He stared at the finger the attorney pointed towards the picture and wondered what words would pass his friend's lips. He was strangely anticipating them, even if he was starting to wonder if his meeting with Dongwan had any real point besides making him squirm on his seat.

"The sun was high in the sky when he paint it. It was beautiful, with blinding colors of life and happiness."

Observing the attorney, Minwoo blinked and did not want to believe what he noticed in the man's eyes looked close to deviance. As if he was taking pleasure in the fact someone could turn such beautiful world so dark.

Shaking his head curtly, he told himself he was certainly tired and needed a good night sleep. Yesterday was not that restful after Dongwan's visit, and instead of sleeping, he had spent most of the night thinking and turning around in bed. Minwoo thought if this was continuing he would collapse from exhaustion.

"I was there when he paint it. I was observing him, and it's amazing how easily he manages to twist our vision of the world."

A silence passed between them with Dongwan's last words echoing in Minwoo's mind. He stared at the painting for another moment before turning his head back towards the attorney looking straight at him. He almost flinched, and forcing himself to relax, he managed a small smile as answer to his friend's grin.

"Well…" He began, crossing his hands in front of him. "You'd something to tell me or…?" He trailed off, ignoring what Dongwan could want with him besides talk some more about the stolen data.

The attorney stayed quiet for a spreading second before answering, "I wanted to show you something."

Minwoo blinked and watched as his friend leaned back in his seat and pulled open a drawer from which he took an envelope out before sliding it across the desk to his side. He observed it and did not dare to move.

"I've a few pictures I want you to check for me."

Minwoo blinked some more and looked up at the attorney then back at the envelope. Swallowing and a bit confused, he reached for it, slipped his hand inside and pulled out a few pictures. He recognized immediately a man on one of them, and freezing in place, he instinctively looked up at Dongwan before staring back at the pictures.

"We found a couple of possible perpetrators using the name Mun and Park. Luckily for us, we've good contacts, and we reduced the list to these eight private detectives, but I need you to tell me if you recognize any of these men."

Minwoo stared back at the pictures and swallowed thickly.

"I can tell you do." Commented Dongwan, and he felt trapped. However, he could not understand why he was suddenly feeling so nervous with the possibility his friend could be so close to the men stealing these data.

"I…" He tried to talk but could not find any words.

He heard Dongwan sigh and lean back in his leather seat, which made his heart beat faster. Why ? He did not know, but he was very anxious for no particular reason at the right moment. Maybe it was in the air, or just his imagination overworking and making him too sensitive, he did not know but could not put under control his anxiety.

"We're investigating every single person on these pictures, so with or without your help we'll find the ones we're looking for." Minwoo tensed up as Dongwan moved on his chair and leaned against his desk, the noise barely breaking the focus he had on the pictures in his hands. "But I trust you to help me in the matter."

The words made his eyes snap up to look at the attorney staring at him. He could not tell for sure, but he felt like Dongwan had just made an insinuation about his betrayal; which was a low blow coming from the man. The later knew perfectly how Minwoo was feeling about what he had to do, he should not play on his feelings to persuade him to be helpful.

It was not like he did not want to help anyway… it was just he was not expecting Dongwan to find Park so easily. After what Mun had told him, he was expecting the detectives to be more efficient and harder to find, but here he was, with Park's picture in his hand and Dongwan waiting for him to tell him he was the man he was looking for.

He wondered for a second what would happen to the detectives once the attorney would have find them, and pushing away such irrational worrying thought his friend would hurt them, he took a breath before speaking.

"This is Park Junjin." He said, sliding the picture to Dongwan. "He was the one keeping an eye on Hyeri when I went to the office with Mun."

The attorney nodded with a glance at the picture before staring back at Minwoo. "You recognizes someone else ?" Minwoo shook his head as answer and put the pictures back in the envelope.

"No." He said, handing back the pictures to Dongwan who nodded and took the envelope he put back in the drawer he locked with a small key.

"Thank you for your help. It won't be long anymore before we find them now."

"What are you going to do ?" The question flew by his lips before he could stop it, and biting the inside of his cheek, Minwoo cursed himself mentally for voicing his doubts to his friend.

The attorney narrowed his eyes at him before smirking and leaning in his seat with his hands crossed in front of him.

"What do you think I am going to do ?" He shot back, letting a beat pass while Minwoo wondered sincerely what his friend would do. "I'm going to bring them to justice and get them sentenced for stealing confidential data and using you and Hyeri." Minwoo swallowed thickly at the words. "Don't worry about them. They'll pay for what they did, believe me."

He believed him. He believed him too much even, and somewhere at the back of his mind he worried about Mun and Park. Why ? Because some irrational part of his mind was whispering at him something bad was about to happen, but he refused to acknowledge it. It was not like Dongwan would do anything to these men besides send them in prison, which they were deserving.

Minwoo was sure he just needed a good night sleep and all this nonsense flashing through his mind would disappear.

      For Eric, patience was not one of his best skill. He was a talented manipulator, a great cook, an amazing detective, but had the lowest patience limit ever. Therefore, when Hyesung : the greatest hacker he could get his hand on, the one claiming he could get through any security wall any kind of governments had and get through it with not much of a problem, told him he could not open the downloaded file before seventy-two hours even with the passwords, he did not believe it.

How could Hyesung, the most skilled and fast hacker out there could not open a ing file he had the password of ? It was not understandable for him, and after hearing it was a security process even him could not get through; he almost lost it.

Thinking about how hard he had worked to get these data and being unable to use them felt like his efforts were all reduced to nothing. Maybe he was being a bit overdramatic -from what Junjin said- but he could not accept and even less wait three ing days to have these data. It was just not possible to wait so long with Kim Dongwan on their tail.

Eric knew too well the man had great contacts and people working for him, and if he could not get his hand on these data real soon, the risk to lose them and be sent to prison was too great. He could not fail so close to his goal, but what could he do when even Hyesung the great hacker had no other choice than wait if he did not want the data to erase on their own ? It was frustrating and maddening, and the seventy-two hours he had to wait passed painfully slow.

"Yeah ?" He snapped, answering his phone.

"I've been spotted." Announced Junjin, and Eric straighten up on his chair with his foot hitting the table in front of him. The noise attracted Hyesung's attention, and standing up from the couch he was resting on, he stepped closer to a suddenly stiff Eric.

Nodding his understanding, he said, "Okay. It's time to take a break."

He did not need to have Junjin in front of him to know the man answered him with a nod before hanging up.

"What's going on ?" Asked Hyesung, and Eric looked up at him after staring into space for a second.

"Junjin's spotted. He'll be dormant for a bit."

"Is he okay ?" Worried Hyesung, and Eric sighed with a hand passing in his hair.

"Yeah. He knows what he's doing."

"I should call him…"

"Don't !" He shot back, now on his feet, and Hyesung froze in place to stare at him.

"I need to know…"

"He's fine. We've got his back, okay. He'll be fine, but we can't risk being spotted either. Not before we've these data at least."

He stared in the hacker's eyes for a moment weighting heavily. He knew how close Hyesung was to Junjin, how protective he was of the younger man. But he could not risk being discovered so close to his goal. Besides that, he was sure Junjin would be alright. The worst that could happen to him would be to be arrested, and maybe roughen up by some people close to Kim Dongwan. Which was nothing the man could not handle.

"If anything happens to him…" Began Hyesung in a threatening hiss, and Eric sighed.

"I know." He answered before walking passed the hacker to leave the underground hideout.

Here's Hyesung ^^

So now, every Shinhwa members are introduced, let's see what'll happen between them ;))

I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for reading and supporting this story (wow, it's been a long time since I said that xD)

But I'm really thankful for the ones following this fic and enjoying it =)